Teenage kicks
by OnTheNightshift
Summary: Henry's teenage hormones kick in a little early, and Killian gets the brunt of it. **ERROR FIXED** WARNING: Angst! (my first OUAT fanfic) CaptainCobraSwan


It all began when Henry started spending more time in the pawn shop.

"He's my grandpa, too. Plus he tells me stories about my dad."

As much as Emma was concerned, she didn't have the heart to say no and before she knew it, once a week after school turned into three times a week. The fact that Neal died before he could really get to know Henry was something Emma often felt bad about. Mostly because she could see her son missed him dearly, so spending time with Mr. Gold, even if he was the dark one, was just something she felt she couldn't take away from him.

It was the dinners and lunches at Granny's that sparked concern for Emma in Henry's behavior. His attitude was becoming more and more hostile, particularly towards Killian. They would meet often, pick a booth and talk about anything and everything until the pirate would join them and Henry would suddenly go quiet. No matter how much Emma and Killian would engage him in conversation, his answers would always be short and void of any emotion.

Killian was always trying to include Henry, making offers of sailing trips and fishing trips, just 'men only' as he'd put it, but Henry always had an excuse to turn him down.

Emma picked him up from Gold's shop one afternoon, and they made their way to the park with a promise of ice-cream.

"Is Killian coming?"

"No kid, just you and me. Why? You want him to come? We can-"

"No!"

Emma was taken aback by his outburst. She decided to bite the bullet.

"Henry, has – has something happened? Did Killian do something to you? Say something to you? You can tell me if he has."

"No. He didn't, I just… I'd just like to spend some time with my mom without him being there. I miss you."

Emma suddenly felt extremely guilty, promising to spend more time with just the both of them. It still felt to her like something was off and the pirate in question was no help at all. When she voiced the issue to him, he simply laughed it off.

"He's a growing lad, Swan. He's probably getting hormonal. Isn't it a good thing, him wanting to spend more time with you? Be worried when he doesn't, love. "

He reassured her with a hug.

"And I'll make myself scarce if that's what the boy wishes."

It was Henry's thirteenth birthday when the proverbial storm hit. David and Mary Margaret had baked him a cake and were having a small get together at the loft, just Emma and Henry and baby Neal, before he would go to spend the night with Regina. A knock at the door announced the arrival of Killian.

"Happy birthday, lad."

Killian handed over a long wrapped package with a proud smile.

Henry took the present and eyed it suspiciously before turning to the pirate.

"Did you steal it?"

"Henry!" Snow scolded in shock.

Killian didn't seem fazed.

"I can assure you, I bought it with legal tender. Took many odd jobs to pay for that," he added with a wink.

There was a thick tension in the room as Henry unwrapped the package to find a brand new blue fishing rod.

"Thought you could do with having one of your own."

"Thanks, but I don't like fishing anymore."

He handed the rod back to Killian and made his way into another room.

Emma was hot on his heels.

"Okay, firstly, that was incredibly rude, and secondly, you're going to tell me exactly what is wrong. Right now."

Henry picked up his rucksack and tried to leave the room.

"I'm going to be late to Regina's."

Emma grabbed the bag out of his hand, threw it down beside her and pointed to the bed.

"Sit."

Henry did as he was told.

"Henry, what is going on?"

"I don't want you dating him! He's a pirate and he took dad's mom away and he's going to take you away and I wish he had died instead of my dad!"

There was a deathly silence over the room as Emma absorbed her son's hateful words. The loft door closing was the only sound throughout the house but neither one paid attention. Emma took a seat beside Henry.

"Henry. Where is this coming from?"

"Grandpa told me what happened with Milah. He took her away and my dad grew up without a mom. And he's going to do the same with you. He's a bad guy, mom."

Emma's heart broke. Gold. Of course. He'd been spilling venom into her son's ears and she had let it happen.

"Sweetheart. There is a lot of history between Gold and Killian and I won't lie, there's a lot of hate. But what happened with Milah is a very long story and a very old one. Trust me, Henry, when I say Killian isn't a bad guy. Not anymore."

Emma took Henry's hand.

"Hey, look at me. I promise you. No one is taking me away from you. Not ever. You're stuck with me."

Henry gave her a small smile.

"And if me being with Killian upsets you this much…"

Emma took a breath and looked into Henry's eyes.

"If me being with him hurts you, then I won't. I'll stop seeing him."

Henry didn't say anything. A knock from outside signaled Regina's arrival.

"We'll talk more about this after the weekend, okay?"

"Okay."

Henry grabbed his bag and went back into the main room followed by Emma.

Once they'd departed, it took Emma a few moments to notice Killian was missing. Snow informed her that they'd all heard her conversation with Henry and he'd thought it best to go. Which was why Emma was standing outside his door at Granny's an hour later.

He could tell from the look on her face that this was going to be an unpleasant visit. She stood while he perched on the foot of the bed, listening to her explain how Gold had been telling Henry biased stories. He should have expected that.

"I think it's best, for now, if we don't see each other."

Killian didn't look up.

"At least until I've worked things out with Henry. He's my son and he has to come first." She said with a heavy heart."I'm sorry."

Killian finally looked at her and gave a smile that refused to reach his eyes.

"You've nothing to apologize for, Swan. You're right. Henry comes first. And if there's-"

She could see his heart shattering as he forced the reassuring words out of his mouth.

"If there's anything I can do to help ease the boy's mind. I'll be here. "

He stood and she took a step back. That didn't stop him from pulling her into a loose embrace.

"Killian, please don't-"

"I still love you, Emma. And Henry. No matter what."

He whispered the words into her ear as here eyes filled. She quickly pulled from his arms and made her way out of his room, too hurt to look back and see his broken face.

Emma's first stop the next day was Gold's shop. After a very heated argument about appropriate stories and keeping his opinions to himself and away from impressionable teens, it resulted in Gold only seeing Henry when supervised by herself or her parents, no longer able to trust the man.

Emma decided to tell Henry the whole story about Milah that night.

"I'm not telling you who you should and shouldn't like, Henry. I just want you to make your own judgments and not take other people's opinions of others as fact."

"I was a thief and a runaway before I was the savior. Your grandma was a bandit!" This earned her a smile from the boy.

"What I'm saying is, everybody has a past. And it's not right to label them because of that. It's what we do in the here and now that makes us who we are. Regina is proof of that."

Henry looked up at her.

"You're right. I'm sorry, mom."

Emma hugged him.

"It's okay, kid."

"Are you still seeing Killian?"

"No." She stated as she ran her hands through his hair.

Henry suddenly felt guilty.

Killian was doing his best to stay away from pretty much everyone. It had been two weeks and she'd seen a couple of glimpses of him, a small smile of acknowledgement and he'd be gone again. David had mentioned he'd seen him twice, only to exchange pleasantries.

"He seems okay."

"Is that code for completely miserable?" Snow interrogated.

A sympathetic look was David's only answer.

It was a week later. Thanksgiving was here and Snow had cooked up one hell of a feast. David, Emma, Henry and baby Neal were crammed into the loft, the boys were occupying the seating area, nursing their full stomachs while Emma and Snow cleared away the mess left by dinner.

A sharp knock at the door had both of them look at each other in confusion before Emma opened it to see a concerned looking Killian standing there.

"Swan. Pardon the intrusion but I think there's something amiss in town."

She opened the door wider for him to step in.

"What do you mean?"

David and Mary Margaret came closer, wanting to hear the news.

"It seems everyone has disappeared. I went to purchase something to eat at Granny's to find it closed. No one is around. Alas, all establishments are in the same dormant state. I thought something might be wrong to have the town go into hiding. That's why I came to find you. To see if you were all okay."

Emma felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Luckily, Mary Margaret provided an explanation.

"Killian. Nothing's wrong, it's Thanksgiving. "

She continued when he continued to give her a confused look.

"It's a holiday in this realm. That's why no one's outside. You spend the day with your family."

Killian felt embarrassed.

"I see. My apologies." He made his way back to the door.

"Wait. I cooked way too much, would you like to take a plate with you? You must be hungry." Snow offered.

"Kind of you to offer milady, but I'll be fine." He smiled in gratitude but kept moving to the door. It was clear he just needed to get out of there.

Emma watched him open the door and leave. As soon as the door closed, she could no longer hold back the tears. She mumbled something about being right back before she bolted for the room at the top of the loft. Mary Margaret, not one to see her daughter suffer, followed straight after her.

"Emma…" She took a seat beside her daughter on the bed, wrapping her arms around her shoulders in comfort.

"Did you see his face? He didn't even know what Thanksgiving was! And why would he? This isn't his world. This isn't his home. He doesn't have one anymore because he gave it up for me."

Emma managed to spew out her rant amidst gut wrenching sobs.

"And he's probably sitting alone in a room at Granny's right now; wondering what it feels like to have a family. To have people that care about you. And it's killing me."

"Honey, you can't know that-"

"I do! Because it's the exact same thoughts I used to have."

Snow's heart broke for her daughter.

"But I care."

Emma looked at her mother.

"I miss him."

Snow did the only thing she could do and hugged her daughter until she calmed.

It was later that night in the quiet of her apartment, Emma was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a hot chocolate, deep in thought when Henry came padding in.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, buddy?"

"I miss him too." Henry stated as he took a seat opposite her at the table.

"Your dad?"

"Killian."

"Henry-"

"No. I mean it. I really do."

Emma didn't speak.

"I really enjoy spending time with him and he's a really great guy and…"

Henry took a moment.

"And I felt like I was betraying my dad by liking him. That's why I began spending more time with Mr. Gold. And when he told me about what happened in the past, I let it get to me and I felt like I had a duty to hate Killian and it sounds stupid I know-"

"Hey." Emma stopped him before he worked himself into a frenzy. She took his hand from across the table.

"It's not stupid. Would it shock you to know that Neal and Killian actually cared about each other?"

"I think I kinda knew already." Henry smiled.

"I wasn't even really mad, I don't know why I got so angry."

"That's called puberty, kid. Get used to it, it's gonna happen a lot."

"If that's true, I don't think I ever wanna grow up."

"Hey. No peter pan talk in this house, mister."

"You realize that technically he was my great grandpa, right?"

"God, don't even go there. That creep tried to kill you."

They joked around, glad to be opening up to each other. There was a comfortable silence before Henry spoke again.

"I'm sorry I came between you and Killian. I didn't want you to dump him."

"Henry, I want you to be able to come to me if you have a problem. I will always choose you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Emma smiled.

"I know you love him." Henry added.

"I do," she said softly. It was the first time she'd admitted it out loud.

Killian was nursing a rum induced hangover the next morning, preparing to start another pointless day in Storybrooke. A knock at the door had him dragging himself out of his chair. Whoever it was, he was not in the mood for them. Opening the door, he was surprised by who was standing there.

"Henry."

"Hey Killian."

"Your mother's not here, lad. I haven't seen-"

"I'm actually looking for you. Can I come in?"

"Of course."

To say he was confused was an understatement. Killian let him in and closed the door. Henry entered the room and noticed the fishing rod, standing in the corner still in its wrapper.

"May I ask why you're here?" Killian asked tentatively, gesturing for Henry to take a seat on the bed while he sat in the chair.

"I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it. I don't wish you were dead."

"It'd be alright if you did. Means you have passion," he offered lightly.

Henry smiled at the jest.

"Am I right in believing your grandfather was telling you of my past?"

Henry nodded.

"Henry. Whatever you wish to know about me, you just have to ask my dear boy. I promise I shall tell you no lie. And as for your mother, I would never dream of taking her away from you. Not when I fought so hard to get her to stay. And if we ever were to set sail, you'd be coming with us."

"Kind of hard to do that when you don't have a ship anymore."

Killian laughed at Henry's comment.

"Too right."

"I do need you to know something, Henry. I cared a great deal for Bae, the same way I care about you. I would never want you to feel like I was replacing your father, nor would I try to be. But if you let me, I'd be there for you whenever you need me. You never have to worry or feel like you're alone. Regardless of whatever happens between me and your mother. I'll be here. What do you say, lad?"

Henry saw the earnest look on Kilian's face and the love in his eyes. He held his hand out to shake the pirate's.

"I'd like that."

They both smiled, feeling a new bond forming between them.

"You kept it." Henry pointed at the fishing rod.

"Aye."

"Why?"

"It's yours. Has your name on it. I'm not going to let someone else have it now, am I."

"Do you think we could go and test it out?"

"I thought you didn't like fishing anymore?"

"That may have been a small lie."

Killian chuckled as he put on his coat. Henry grabbed the rod and made his way to the door.

"Killian?"

He turned to look at him.

"I missed you."

Killian swallowed the lump in his throat and put his hand on Henry's shoulder.

"I've missed you, too."

Emma was absorbed in paperwork. With all the previous Zelena drama, her duties as sheriff were seriously behind. She sipped at her coffee, mindlessly sifting through the endless reports of unexplained sightings and noise complaints, thankful that Storybrooke was quiet for once.

**I spoke too soon** she thought as her phone started to ring. David.

"_Emma."_

"Hey dad, wassup?"

"_I was just passing by the docks, I think there's something down here you should come and check out."_

"What is it?"

"_Come and see for yourself." _

And with that, David hung up. Sighing, she grabbed her keys and left the station.

Parking up, she exited her car, searching for David or any sign of trouble. She could see neither. She was just about to phone him to find out where the crisis was, when two figures caught her eye.

Walking closer, she suddenly recognized her son and her pirate, side-by-side. Henry was dangling his fishing rod in the water, their backs were both turned to her, and both kept nudging each other in amusement.

She crept up behind them, not wanting to disturb what was transpiring.

"…what about rum?"

"Not until you're 16 years of age. I'll introduce you to a right good time then."

"You have to be 21 in this realm."

"Well, what your mother doesn't know won't hurt-"

"Rum? Seriously?" Emma finally made her presence known. Both turned, not expecting anyone to be behind them.

"Mom! Killian was just telling me the rules about being first mate."

"And they include rum?"

"I'll make a pirate out of him yet, Swan." He winked. Henry nudged him with his shoulder while Killian ruffled his hair.

Emma was beginning to feel overwhelmed with emotion. Killian took a step back from Henry to stand by her side.

"You two are getting along then?"

"Aye."

Henry turned his head back to look at both of them.

"Can you two kiss and make up already? It's almost lunchtime."

"Eyes on the water, first mate. You're letting them get away."

"Aye aye, Captain."

Emma couldn't help but laugh as a happy tear escaped her. Killian wiped it away, letting his hand run down her shoulder and stop at the small of her back.

She looked at him and saw nothing but love and happiness on his face, mirroring her own. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips, letting it speak for her. 'I'm sorry, I missed you, I love you'. Their foreheads rested on each other's, savoring the familiarity that they'd both missed. Her arm threaded its way into his coat to lock around his waist as they watched Henry fish.

It was a clean slate for all of them. The issues they had faced within the past few weeks were not spoken of again. They didn't need to. It no longer mattered because they had each other. They had a family.


End file.
